U.S. patent number 6,305,960 [Application Number 09/752,405] was granted by the patent office on 2001-10-23 for sim card connector with improved detecting switch.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Chia Hao Fan.
United States Patent |
6,305,960 |
Fan |
October 23, 2001 |
SIM card connector with improved detecting switch
Abstract
A subscriber identity module (SIM) card connector (1) includes
an insulating base (10), a plurality of contact elements (20)
partially received in the base, and a one-piece switch member (30)
partially received in a channel (13) defined in a top surface (12)
of the base. The switch member has upper and lower contact branches
(34, 35) extendingrearwardly beyond a rear face of the base. The
upper contact branch has an upper contact portion (340) projecting
upwardly beyond the top surface of the base. The lower contact
branches have lower contact portions (350) projecting downwardly in
proximity to a printed circuit board (PCB).
Inventors: |
Fan; Chia Hao (Shu-Lin,
TW) |
Assignee: |
Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co.,
Ltd. (Taipei Hsien, TW)
|
Family
ID: |
21676304 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/752,405 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2000 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 20, 2000 [TW] |
|
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89222122 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
439/188; 439/630;
439/862 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K
7/0021 (20130101); G06K 7/0069 (20130101); H01R
13/703 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06K
7/00 (20060101); H01R 13/703 (20060101); H01R
13/70 (20060101); H01R 029/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;439/188,630,260,862,60,267 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Ta; Tho D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Chung; Wei Te
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A card connector for connecting a card with a printed circuit
board (PCB), comprising:
a rectangular insulating base defining a channel in a top surface
thereof;
a plurality of contact elements received in the base; and
a one-piece switch member having a mounting portion retained in
said channel, a solder tail adapted for being soldered to the PCB,
a switch contact projecting beyond a rear face of the base, and a
horizontal cantilever beam between the mounting portion and the
switch contact, the switch contact defining a longitudinal center
line and including upper and lower contact portions respectively
symmetric about a vertical plane containing the center line, the
upper contact portion, upon full insertion of a card, being
depressed to move the lower contact portion toward the PCB; and
wherein the lower contact portion has a pair of lower contact
branches, and the upper contact portion has an upper contact branch
between the lower contact branches.
2. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein the switch
contact further includes a planar portion from which the upper and
lower contact branches originate, the planar portion being wider
than the cantilever beam.
3. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein a block
projects upwardly from a bottom of the channel, and wherein a front
portion of the cantilever beam is supported by the block and a rear
portion of the cantilever beam is spaced from a bottom of the
channel.
4. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein two slots are
defined in opposing side walls of the channel, and wherein the
mounting portion forms barbs on opposite sides thereof for
respectively engaging with the slots.
5. A card connector assembly comprising:
a printed circuit board including a solder trace and a switch trace
thereon;
a card connector mounted on the printed circuit board, said
connector including an insulative housing with a plurality of
contact elements therein and with a top surface thereon;
a one-piece switch member positioned in the housing, said switch
member soldered on said solder trace and including a resilient beam
with upper and lower contact portions around an end thereof;
a card adapted to be mounted on said top surface; wherein when no
card is positioned upon the top surface, the upper contact portion
projects above the top surface and the lower contact portion
projects over the switch trace, while when the card is positioned
on the top surface, the upper contact portion is pressed downwardly
by the card, and the lower contact portion is associatively moved
downwardly to abut against the switch trace with mechanical and
electrical connections therebetween and
wherein the lower contact portion has a pair of lower contact
branches, and the upper contact portion has an upper contact branch
between the lower contact branches.
6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein said beam is of the
cantilever type.
7. A card connector comprising:
an insulative housing with a plurality of contacts therein and with
opposite top and bottom faces thereon, said contacts extending
upwardly above the top face and also downwardly to reach the bottom
face;
a one-piece switch member positioned in the housing with a solder
portion at one end, said switch member further including a
resilient beam with upper and lower contact portions around a
distal end thereof; wherein said upper contact portion upwardly
extends above the top face, and the lower contact portion extends
above the bottom face while is adapted to extend downwardly beyond
the bottom face when the upper contact portion is downwardly
pressed by a card which is installed on the top face of the
housing; and
wherein the lower contact portion has a pair of lower contact
branches, and the upper contact portion has an upper contact branch
between the lower contact branches.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a subscriber identity
module (SIM) card connector, and more particularly, to a SIM card
connector with an improved switch member for detecting full
insertion of a SIM card.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Subscriber identity module (SIM) cards are widely used with
electrical devices, such as personal computers, notebooks, portable
phones, PDAs and the like. SIM card connectors are adapted to
connect SIM cards with the electrical devices. A SIM card connector
usually needs a switch device for detecting full insertion of the
SIM card.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,426 discloses a card connector with a switching
device. The switching device includes an upper and a lower
switching member. The upper and lower switching members
respectively have an upper contact portion and a lower contact
portion. The upper switching member further has a biasing hump for
engaging with a leading edge of a card. The upper and lower
switching members are assembled to the base in juxtaposition, and
the upper contact portion is located above the lower contact
portion. A stopper of the upper switching member limits movement of
the upper contact portion. The contact portions are spaced apart
from each other before the card is inserted. The biasing hump
projects into an insertion path of the card. When the card is
inserted into the connector and reaches its final position, the
leading edge of the card slides over the biasing hump of the upper
switching member, thereby pushing the upper contact portion to
engage with the lower contact portion to establish an electrical
connection therebetween.
However, the switch device needs two switch members, thus requiring
a complicated manufacturing process and a high cost.
U.S. Pat, No. 6,130,387 discloses a switch assembly built into a
connector that connects to pads of a smart card. The connector
includes a frame extension or support for the switch assembly. The
switch assembly has a switch element. The switch element includes a
contacting part extending forwardly and downwardly in proximity to
a printed circuit board, and a pedal extending laterally and
upwardly from a side of the contacting part, through a hole in the
frame extension or support. When the smart card is inserted into
the connector, the pedal is depressed, causing the contacting part
to be depressed against a circuit trace of the printed circuit
board. This results in the closing of the switch.
However, the pedal and the contacting part are non-symmetrically
formed on the switch element, which may affect the resiliency and
cause a misconnection of the contacting part with the circuit trace
of the printed circuit board after a period of use.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the invention is to provide a subscriber identity
module (SIM) card connector with a sensitive switch member for
detecting full insertion of a SIM card.
Another object of the invention is to provide a SIM card connector
with a one-piece switch member which is easily manufactured and
which has a low profile.
A SIM card connector in accordance with the present invention
includes an insulating base defining a plurality of recesses in a
top surface thereof and a channel in the top surface and juxtaposed
with the recesses, a plurality of contact elements received in the
recesses, and a switch member partially retained in the channel. A
block projects upwardly from a bottom of the channel. The switch
member defines a longitudinal center line and has a solder tail at
a front end thereof, a mounting portion to a rear of the solder
tail, a switch contact at a rear end thereof and a cantilever beam
between the mounting portion and the switch contact. The switch
contact extends rearwardly beyond a rear face of the base and has
an upper contact portion projecting upwardly beyond the top surface
of the base for electrically connecting with a SIM card, and lower
contact portions projecting downwardly in proximity to a printed
circuit board (PCB). The upper and lower contact portions are
symmetric about a vertical plane containing the center line. When
fully inserted into the SIM card connector, the SIM card depresses
the upper contact portion, causing the lower contact portions to
establish electrical connection with a switch trace on the PCB,
signaling full insertion of the card in the connector.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with
particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best
understood from the following description when read in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a subscriber identity module (SIM)
card connector according to an embodiment of the present invention,
together with a printed circuit board (PCB) and a SIM card;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a switch member of the SIM card
connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the SIM card connector of FIG.
1;
FIG. 5 is an assembled view of FIG. 1 with the SIM card sliding
over the SIM card connector;
FIG. 6 is a side view of the SIM card connector mounted on the PCB
with the SIM card thereon;
FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a SIM card connector according to
another embodiment of the present invention together withal PCB and
a SIM card; and
FIG. 8 is an assembled view of the SIM card connector of FIG. 7
mounted on the PCB.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
For facilitating understanding, like components are designated by
like reference numerals throughout the various embodiments of the
invention as shown in the attached drawings.
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, in a preferred embodiment, a SIM
card connector 1 according to the present invention includes an
insulating base 10, a plurality of contact elements 20, and a
one-piece switch member 30. The insulating base 10 has a planar top
surface 12 for supporting a SIM card 2. A plurality of recesses 11
are defined in the top surface 12 and communicate with either a
front or a rear surface of the base 10 for receiving the contact
elements 20 therein. A channel 13 is defined in the top surface 12
extending from the front to the rear surface of the base 10 for
retaining the switch member 30. A block 14 projects upwardly from a
bottom (not labelled) of the channel 13 for supporting the switch
member 30. Two slots 15 are respectively defined in opposing
interior side walls (not labelled) of the channel 13 and in
communication with the channel 13.
Since the structure of the contact elements 20 of the SIM card
connector 1 is well known to those skilled in the art, a detailed
description thereof is omitted herein.
Particularly referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the switch member 30
defines a longitudinal center line L--L and includes a solder tail
31 at a front end thereof adapted for soldering to a PCB 3, a
planar mounting portion 32 to a rear of the solder tail 31, a
switch contact 39 at a rear end thereof, and a horizontal
cantilever beam 33 between the mounting portion 32 and the switch
contact 39. The mounting portion 32 is located between the
cantilever beam 33 and the solder tail 31 in both a horizontal
direction and in a vertical direction. A first connecting portion
312 is formed between the mounting portion 32 and the solder tail
31. A second connecting portion 323 is formed between the mounting
portion 32 and the cantilever beam 33. Two pairs of barbs 320
respectively protrude from opposite sides of the mounting portion
32.
The switch contact 39 includes a planar portion 331 attached to a
rearward end of the cantilever beam 33, which is wider than the
cantilever beam 33. A pair of lower contact branches 35 downwardly
and rearwardly extend from a rearward end of the planar portion
331, and an upper contact branch 34 upwardly and rearwardly extends
from the rearward end of the planar portion 331 and between the
lower contact branches 35. The switch contact 39 extends beyond the
rear face of the base 10. The upper contact branch 34 projects
beyond the top surface 12 of the base 10. The upper contact branch
34 has an upper contact portion 340 projecting upwardly, and each
of the lower contact branches 35 has a lower contact portion 350
projecting downwardly. The upper and lower contact portions 340,
350 are respectively symmetric about a vertical plane containing
the center line L--L.
Particularly referring to FIG. 4, in assembly, each contact element
20 is partially received in a corresponding recess 11 and partially
exposed to the top surface 12. The switch member 30 is partially
retained in the channel 13 of the base 10 with the switch contact
39 projecting beyond the rear face of the base 10. A front end of
the cantilever beam 33 is supported by the block 14, with a rear
surface of the second connecting portion 323 abutting a front face
of the block 14. A rear portion of the cantilever beam 33 is spaced
from the bottom of the channel 13, such that a slight pressure
acted on the upper contact branch 34 easily leads to a depression
of the lower contact branches 35, thereby forming an electrical
connection between the lower contact branches 35 and a switch trace
301 of the PCB 3. The mounting portion 32 is retained in the
channel 13 with the barbs 320 engaging with the slots 15. A rear
surface of the first connecting portion 312 abuts against a front
surface of the base 10 and the solder tail 31 is soldered to a
solder trace 302 of the PCB 3.
Particularly referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, when a SIM card 2 is
inserted into the connector 1, the contact portions (not labeled)
of the contact elements 20 and the upper contact portion 340 of the
switch member 30 are depressed and electrically connect with the
contact pads (not shown) of the SIM card 2. The downward movement
of the upper contact portion 340 depresses the lower contact
branches 35 and the lower contact portions 350 of the lower contact
branches 35 contact the switch trace 301 of the PCB 3, establishing
an electrical connection therewith. The closing of this electrical
connection signals full insertion of the SIM card 2. Because the
switch contact 39 is symmetric about the vertical plane through the
center line L--L, forces within the switch contact 39 are evenly
distributed, when the upper contact portion 340 is depressed,
contributing to a longer useful life of the switch member 30.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of the invention. The SIM
card connector 1' is similar to the earlier-described connector 1
except that the switch member 30' of the SIM card connector 1' has
a hook-shaped switch contact 36 with upper and lower contact
portions 360, 361 instead of the planar portion 331 and the upper
and lower contact branches 34, 35 of the previous embodiment. The
upper and the lower contact portions 360, 361 are vertically
aligned and respectively symmetric about a vertical plane passing
through a longitudinal center line. When a card 2 is inserted into
the SIM card connector 1', it depresses the upper contact portion
360, causing the lower contact portion 361 to contact the PCB 3 and
to engage with the switch trace 301 of the PCB 3 to establish an
electrical connection therebetween. The establishment of this
connection signals full insertion of the SIM card 2 into the SIM
card connector 1'. The switch contact 36 has a longer useful life
since upper and lower contact portions 360, 361 are symmetric about
a vertical plane passing through a longitudinal center line of the
switch member 30', leading to evenly distributed forces in the
switch contact 36 when it is subject to pressure by the inserted
card 2.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
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